Oz Comic-Con 2014: Cosplay, collectibles and Cumberbatch

THOUSANDS of pop culture fans from across the nation met and geeked out at the Adelaide Oz Comic-Con expo earlier this month. Juliana Mare was there to find out exactly what Melbournians have to look forward to in July.

Your stomach is doing somersaults, your palms are sweaty, you can’t stop fidgeting with your hair and the only thought running through your mind is, “be cool, be cool!”. These symptoms were felt by the masses at Adelaide’s annual Oz Comic-Con convention because the calibre of the guest line-up for 2014 was at an all-time high.

Talent from Charmed, Scrubs, Doctor Who and Supernatural wowed fans with photographs, signatures and Q&A panels. However, the celebrity who drew in the biggest crowds was the astonishingly talented Benedict Cumberbatch.

Fans were shaking with adrenalin and wiping away tears after stepping out of the photo booth with the British actor, famous for his roles as Sherlock in the widely popular BBC series and super-villain Khan in J.J. Abrams’Star Trek: Into Darkness.

The most important thing to be mindful of when attending Oz Comic-Con are the queues. Whether it’s at the token booth, a merchandise stall, waiting for your photo or signature, getting lunch or even going to the bathroom. There’s going to be a line and it’s going to be frustratingly long.

While queuing, some Oz Comic-Con attendees commented on the highlights of their convention experience:

I just really like the atmosphere here because there’s so many things to do and people are so passionate about the things they’re coming to see. – Isabella, 15

My favourite part of the day has been meeting Benedict Cumberbatch. Also the range of pop culture merchandise you can’t get anywhere else is pretty cool. – Reece, 23

I think all the pop culture shopping has been my favourite. I collect potato heads so it’s been really expensive, but really good. – Donna, 51

But that’s not all there is to experience. Cosplay, short for ‘costume play’ is a hobby where fans dress up in costumes and props representing a character from a fictional universe. 28-year-old Tara was one of hundreds of Cosplayers scattered around the venue and her character of choice was Princess Daisy from the Mario franchise.

“I like making the costumes and I usually pick characters I like, that you can associate yourself with. It’s just fun, it’s a good hobby to have,” she said.

Tara’s handmade Princess Daisy costume. Image: Juliana Mare

Saturday’s cosplay parade. Image: Juliana Mare

Melbournians will also have the opportunity to bring their favourite fictional characters to life. Information on Melbourne’s Cosplay Parade and registration can be found on the event website. From superheroes to Disney characters to gory zombies, the Cosplay opportunities are endless so if you’re going to dress up, start planning your costume now.

Weekend passes are available, but for those choosing a one-day ticket Saturday might be the better option. The Twitter feed on Saturday was laden with photo uploads by fans who had much more freedom to request poses in their professional photos. Unfairly, stricter rules were imposed on Sunday’s attendees whose requests were flat out denied, a decision that may have had something to do with the schedule running over an hour late on Saturday evening.

Nonetheless, fleeting though it may be, celebrity encounters at Oz Comic-Con are an adrenalin pumping, memorable experience worth every dollar. And the high quality A4 print you get to take home is a fantastic piece of memorabilia to cherish.

One of the highlights of my weekend, meeting the man himself.

Oz Comic-Con MC Robyn said judging from just the sheer number of attendees, the Adelaide event was a huge success.

“Everyone’s got amazing photos and autographs and had the chance to see their favourite actors and artists so it’s been huge,” she said.